Teresa Hildebrand (left), UCLA Health System sustainability programs manager, and Patti Oliver, director of nutrition.
UCLA Health System facilities were honored with sustainability awards presented in April at CleanMed, the global conference for environmental leaders in health care.
 
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center received a Food, Climate, Health Connection Award from Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), an international coalition whose Healthy Food in Health Care program works with hospitals nationwide to help improve the environmental sustainability of their food service. The award recognizes facilities that are taking significant steps toward reducing the amount of meat and poultry purchased; prioritizing purchase of food and beverages that are produced without use of fossil-fuel based fertilizers and pesticides; composting, preventing waste and donating food; and conserving energy and water.
 
Both Ronald Reagan and UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica received a Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth, an organization for institutions in the health care community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. The award recognizes facilities that have successful pollution-prevention programs, recycle at least 15 percent of their total waste and are working toward total mercury elimination.